SunshineAnytimeHair

Long time, no post. Well, as of April 21, I'm officially natural! I have about 1/4 inch of natural hair right now and it's SUPER thick and coily (4c) but I love it! I left out an inch or so of my relaxed hair in the front so that I could still rock my half wigs while I figure out how to style my natural hair.

Doing the big chop myself was extremely liberating! Watching my damaged, dyed, split end relaxed hair fall the floor felt good. After I cut everything off though, I was wondering what I was going to do with it. lol Natural hair care journey is so different from the relaxed journey. There are SO many different regimens that people suggest and so many different products. It's a bit overwhelming.

Right now, I've been cowashing daily with Suave Almond and Shea Butter. Then I play with products to try to keep my hair moisturized and/or to define my coils. I have a few small "bald spots", two on my front hairline, which is why I've been keeping my hair hid under my half wig. I'm probably going to rock half wigs for the next 1-2 months. Hopefully, my hair will be a little fuller and longer and I will have a good regimen in mind to keep it moisturized.

A few things I've learned already:

1) Water is my hair's best friend!
2) Put the scissors down! I find reasons to clip my hair everyday.
3) Eco Styler Gel is good for natural hair. I hated it for my relaxed hair but it's good stuff for naturals.

Well, I guess that's all for now. I'll try to post some pics when I can. No more creamy crack! Yay me!

Well, I have to admit. I've become so tired of bone straight relaxed hair. Today would have made me 8 weeks post relaxer and I was really dreading calling my beautician and scheduling an appointment. Seeing her with that rat-tooth comb in her hand, plunging through my hair made me cringe. I also hate how lifeless my hair seems to be after relaxing.

I had always heard about texlaxing but wasn't too sure what it was. So I looked on the hair boards and google and decided texlaxing was what I wanted to do. I've honestly probably been texlaxing my entire hair journey because my hair rarely got bone straight after self-relaxing. Texlaxing is basically leaving the relaxer on for less time than usual or diluting it with oils/conditioners. I diluted my Silk Elements relaxer with A LOT of castor oil (I was scared of overprocessing). I used at least 3 tablespoons and added as I went along.

I got the results I was looking for. My new growth is not bone straight, but kind of wavy, soft and smooth. I LOVE natural hair but when my new growth comes in it is course as I don't know what and I could never see myself transitioning to natural. Texlax is like the middle option between relaxed and natural. Your hair isn't bone straight but it isn't tight like natural hair. You still have some texture to your hair, so braidouts and twist outs are good choices.

Texlaxing is a good option for me because a lot of my ends are underprocessed anyway, even though my beautician supposedly did a corrective relaxer 8 weeks ago. A lot of girls transition from relaxed to texlax and have issues because their ends are straight and their new growth is texlax. I don't have that issue thanks to 2 years of accidentally underprocessing my hair.

I've decided to adopt the same regimen I had a year ago, using my Sulfur-MN growth aide, baggying and 1x a week protein. My hair is really soft and manageable and I'm loving my twist out results. I'm going to try to stretch to 10 weeks (the next texlax application).

Haven't really updated in a minute. Cause I'm UPSET... and bitter. lol The hairdresser I've been going to for a few months in town gave me a "corrective relaxer" to help relax my frizzy ends. It's something I've been wanting for a while and I was too scared to do it myself... so that's not what I'm mad about. Call it sexist but it still weirds me out to see men styling women's hair. It's just... unnatural. lol My hairdresser (female) got kind of busy and wanted to know if it was okay for Mr. Man to trim my ends. I decided to put my views aside so I get the heck up outta the shop (had been there for so long). So I agreed. Two inches later... and he sent me under the dryer, telling me he would have to cut more after my hair dried. That didn't even sound right. I was unaware that he had already chopped and screwed my ends!

Luckily, after my hair dried, my hairdresser rushed me out, and Mr. Man couldn't snip anymore off. I barely looked in the mirror before I paid her and was off. Once I got home, my roomie quickly noticed my new haircut. Mr. Man and Sistah Girl set me back a little bit... but still I rise. And, a few weeks later my ends are STILL unrelaxed which doesn't make me too much happier!

Anywho, I've been using Indian oils in my deep-conditioner mix and I love it. I use what's labeled as Baby Oil. It's a mix of extra virgin olive oil, neem and some other Indian herbs. I mainly picked it because I know my hair loves Olive Oil.

I'm still rockin' half wigs. I got so many compliments on the Outre Supernatural first lady half wig that I made. My newest one was made using Outre Duby (see pics). I LOVE IT! It's a little shorter than the first lady, but the same great quality and layered-wrap look. It was just past my shoulder but I just cut it yesterday and styled it into a short bob which I love. I'll post pics of the bob look in a few days.

ONE IMPORTANT TIP FOR HALF-WIGS: Before you put the wig on, moisturize and seal your hair, tie tight with a silk scarf, put on a stocking cap and then the half wig. This helps seal in the moisture all day while the wig is on (so your hair isn't dry and crispy at the end of the day) and helps give some security to the half-wig. I forgot how much hair loved having the silk scarf on under half wigs last year.

Added my MN Growth mix back to my regimen. I'm applying it once a day right now and I may jump to 2x a day next week. We'll see.

My friend N. and me with my new "hair cut". It looked nice but dang...

Me with the Outre Super Natural First lady.... loved it!!

See the layers?! The Outre Supernatural First Lady halfwig

The first day with the Outre Duby half wig in #2 and #1 (used all of #2 and 1/4 of the #1 for highlight)

Currently, I'm really just trying to keep it simple. Moisturize daily. Prepoo and co-wash 2x a week. I deep-condition and shampoo on one of those days. Protein as needed. And I've started doing black tea rinses 1x week but that's for a different post.

I'm finding that it's really hard to break past my current length. I'm not sure why. I find that at this length my hair needs more moisture. And I guess with this summer heat, even more moisture. If you're still reaching for or already at APL let me know what you're doing!!

The summer is made for half-wigs!! Half-wigs are versatile, cute and a great protective style. I braid my hair underneath and make sure to moisturize daily. I bought Outre Ashley and also Outre Supernatural First Lady from Clairhair.com If you are not a member of this site, join! Ladies post reviews of most pieces so you know what you're getting. And of course you can always youtube it. Also, I got both orders in 3 business days - FAST! Most importantly, they send out specials when you sign up to your email! I got both of these hair weaves for 30% off!! I love a good deal.

The Outre Ashley is a synthetic half wig. It's a little longer than I'm used to (about APL). But it's good quality hair. It's not overly shiny and I haven't had any problems with shedding so far (about a week).

I've wanted Outre Supernatural first lady for a few months now and I'm so glad I bought it! It's actually a pack of weaving hair but I made a half-wig from it myself. What I used: Weave, scissors, bonding glue, blow dryer, black wig cap, plastic shower cap. I braided my hair in 6 corn rows. Then, I put on the plastic shower cap. The shower cap is to protect your real hair from the glue. Next, I put on the black wig cap (what you want the hair to bond to). And then I went to work! This weave is great because it comes with a starter piece that you can use in the back... you know, to get you started. It's 3-4 rows of track in one so you don't have to spend time making those itty bitty tracks yourself to cover the back. The hair is very natural looking, like a fresh perm. I didn't have to cut the hair or flat iron - it's already pre-styled and gives a really nice layered look once finished! You get a LOT OF hair! I only used about 70% of the pack and my the half-wig is THICK! Thanks to the starter piece, I finished comfortably in one hour (usually takes me longer, with the cutting, flat ironing and styling). I love this hair and can't wait to buy more.

So here's some pics:

Close up in April to show you texture.

My current length - APL I'm coming for you!

Another length shot!

This is the Outre Ashley! No close ups but you can see how cute I am lol

This is a side view of the Supernatural first lady half wig... isn't she lovely?

Front view

Another side-view... see the layers!

MORE TO COME!!
-Pics of me wearing Supernatural First lady!
-Video of me doing a corrective relaxer!!

Today I'm 3 weeks post. My hairdresser and I noticed the length of my hair was underelaxed and we decided that I would get a corrective relaxer the next time I came in. Well, I've decided to save my money and do it myself. And I can't wait another 5 weeks - the length of my hair is a mess! The underprocessed areas get so dry and they started breaking off last week so I'm losing a lot of my length.

So, here's the plan. I'm going to condition/moisturize the life out of my hair, using my updated regimen (scroll below) and baggying overnight as needed. I bought a 4 lb tub of Silk Elements relaxer today at Sally's for $10.99! That's a great deal (enough for at least 4 relaxers). From what I got from the woman at Sally's and online, I can store the tub for months at a time in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator. This should definitely last through the summer.

In a week, after my hair, is moisturized and pretty stable, I'll do the corrective relaxer. I plan to apply the relaxer as normal on my new growth. And then run extra relaxer through the length of underrelaxed hair and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. I've tried corrective relaxers at home but I always get scared and only the extra relaxer sit for a minute or so lol I am prepared for some breakage - it will be so worth it to have ends that are smooth and relaxed instead of frizzy and hard to manage.

I ordered Outre Super Natural First Lady human hair weaving. I've been reading the reviews for this hair for a few days now and finally got it. Total price was $23. According to the reviewers, you only need one pack of hair and it is great quality. I'm going to either sew it in or make a wig like I normally do. I would really like to sew it in so that it's low maintenance but I don't think I could go weeks without washing my hair!! We'll see.

I've been in a funk as far as my hair goes lately. I got a relaxer 4 weeks ago. The beautician realized afterwards that my ends were underprocessed. I should have told her before but my old beautician always picks up on things like that. (One of the pains of moving to a new city - you have to find a new hairdresser!)

Well, the relaxer came out good. But my ends are severely underprocessed and they get dry really easily. They've been breaking off a little. :( Then my processed hair just wasn't responding well to anything I did. I questioned my products first. I know VO5 Moisture Milks conditioner usually turns my hair into silk but it wasn't doing that lately so I was considering throwing it out.

Then I had the grand idea to clarify my hair. I used to do it monthly until I started to have this deep hate for shampoo's last summer. LOL I just hated stripped hair. Anyway, I left my clarifying shampoo by the wayside but still loaded my hairs with oils and products - see the problem?

Well, last night during my weekly shampoo and DC, I shampooed with Suave Clarifying Shampoo, co-washed with VO5, DC'ed with Organics conditioner, and followed with Roux porosity control.

Detangled, applied my leave-ins, sealed with coconut oil, wrapped and went to bed. This morning my hair was COMPLETELY DRY (thanks to the Roux), and soft. I didn't even feel I needed to moisturize. But I still did moisturize with Wave Nouveau and sealed with castor oil.

The summer gets me really excited about hair care. It's something about the warmer weather that makes my hair respond so much better to moisture and humectants (could be that 90 degree heat... lol) and I see the majority of my growth in the summer.